French air base drills intensify after thwarted Iranian intrusion at UK Fairford

A crisis management cell was set up at the Bordeaux-Mérignac air base to conduct a standard “Basex” security drill, traditionally held twice yearly. However, the day before the exercise began, authorities foiled an attempted intrusion attributed to Iran at the British Fairford base, prompting French officials to treat the drill as a response to hybrid-war threats. General Cyrille Duvivier, a four-star officer responsible for the defence zone covering southwest France and the territorial command of all French air and space bases, emphasized that the exercise now proves its necessity.

He commands 26 bases on the mainland and four overseas. The heightened focus reflects growing concerns over cross-border sabotage and espionage targeting military installations.